Read 2. Come Be My Love for Free Online

telling her you'd changed your mind? How horrible!"
    "Yes, Brad expressed similar sentiments to me the day before the wedding when I told him of my intentions."
    She stared at the man sitting beside her, unable to comprehend anyone behaving in such a cold and callous manner. "Poor Penny."
    "I was hoping you would give me a little credit for understanding human nature better than to think that Brad would allow her to be humiliated in front of everyone. By telling him my intentions ahead of time, I knew that I was giving him an opportunity to save the day. I deliberately made myself look like a heel. Otherwise, I was fairly sure that Penny would insist on going through with the marriage and ignoring how she felt toward Brad."
    "But still-"
    "I know. What I did was cowardly and reprehensible."
    ''And if you had it to do over again, you'd do it the same way."
    "Yes."
    "Because you didn't think you could face Penny and tell her."
    "What makes you say that?"
    "It was easier for you to play the cold-blooded reptile for Brad than to admit to Penny that you loved her enough to let her go."
    "Now you're trying to make me a martyr. I'm far from that."
    "And you're still in love with Penny."
    "Of course not."
    "How long ago did this happen?"
    "Four or five years ago. Why?"
    "And you've still not married?"
    He laughed. "Not because I've been nursing a broken heart, I assure you. I enjoy my life the way it is. Instead of relinquishing my practice in St. Louis, I've managed to keep both offices open and busy. I don't have time for a personal life. Nor, to be honest, do I find the idea particularly appealing."
    "Because you're afraid of being hurt."
    "Now you're trying to romanticize me. Penny would have become bored with me very quickly. She quit teaching and moved to New York with Brad right after they married. As a matter of fact, they starred together in a Broadway play last spring."
    "Oh, I remember that now. The character Brad plays—what's his name? Drew Derek?—disappeared and was missing for several months."
    "I wouldn't know. I never watch the daily serials."
    Brandi tilted her head and studied him. "So you were once engaged to marry Brad Crawford's wife."
    "My one claim to fame."
    She continued to study him. "You know, there's a definite resemblance between the two of you, now that you mention it."
    "I didn't."
    "Except that you don't smile as much."
    "The courtroom doesn't encourage the practice."
    "But you're as good at acting as he is." He looked at her, startled by her comment.
    "But I'm not an actor."
    "You've been putting on quite a performance right now, trying to convince me that your engagement and the ending of it hasn't had a profound effect on who you are and what you've become."
    "Are you part witch or something?"
    She laughed. "No, of course not. If I were, I would have conjured up a spell to have those men who are chasing me turned into tadpoles or something."
    "And you could also figure out where Tim is at the moment."
    She laughed. "I gave up trying to keep up with Tim years ago."
    "A wise decision," he said quietly.
    Brandi leaned forward, gazing into Greg's suddenly serious eyes. "I take it that you know what Tim does for a living."
    Watching her warily, he said, "Maybe."
    She shrugged. "I don't want to know. Not really. All I know is that it's dangerous and that he's very good at what he does."
    "Yes. And yes."
    "That's why I thought of him when I needed help. I think Tim has the contacts to find out what's going on up there in the hills."
    ''There's a strong possibility you're right."
    Brandi stared into her glass, remembering her fright and wondering if she was safe even now
    "Brandi?"
    She glanced up. "Hmm?"
    He took the empty glass from her hand and set it on the table nearby. "Try to put it out of your mind, okay?"
    She nodded. "I'm trying."
    "You're safe now. I'm not going to leave you until Tim shows up or we go back to Denver to try to get some answers without him." He recalled the unidentified